Virtual electronic paymaster method and system

Abstract

A virtual electronic paymaster system and method for processing a paycheck utilizing a multi-function device. A virtual paymaster application can be configured in association with an EIP (Extensible Interface Platform) enabled multi-function device in order to render the paycheck with respect to an employee. An identification card having a bar code can be placed on a platen of the multi-function device in order to obtain authentication data with respect to the employee upon providing a PIN number via a user interface. The authentication data can be further provided to a remote application server via a network in order to retrieve the payment information with respect to the employee from a payroll database. The paycheck can be locally rendered based on the rendering instructions from the remote application server thereby enhancing the payroll processing within a business environment.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for processing a paycheck, said method comprising:
 placing an identification card having a bar code on a platen of a multi-function device; 
 scanning said identification card with said multi-function device in order to obtain authentication data with respect to an employee via a virtual paymaster application configured via said multi-function device wherein said virtual paymaster application is a software application configured on said multi-function device and wherein said multi-function device is a document processing rendering device configured as a printer, scanner, fax machine, copy machine or a combination thereof; 
 providing said authentication data to a remote application server via a network in order to retrieve a payment information with respect to said employee from a payroll database; and 
 rendering locally on said multi-function device a paycheck based on at least one rendering instruction from said remote application server in order to thereafter virtually deliver said paycheck to said employee to enhance payroll processing within a business environment. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  further comprising launching said paymaster application on a user interface of said multi-function device via a graphically displayed paycheck button. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  further comprising placing said identification card on said platen of said multi-function device upon receiving a user prompt from said paymaster application. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  further comprising communicating said multi-function device with said remote application server via a standard secure sockets layer encrypted connection. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 operating said paymaster application in a failsafe mode upon determining a fault in said multi-function device; and 
 transmitting a fault message to said application server in order to cancel said paycheck and credit the payment into an employee account. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  further comprising confirming said check payment in said multi-function device upon receiving said paycheck via a graphically displayed confirmation button. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  further comprising crediting said payment to an employee account by canceling said paycheck when said employee terminates the payment process in said multi-function device. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  wherein said identification card comprises at least one of the following types of cards: a credit card; and a badge. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1  wherein said multi-function device comprises an extensible interface platform enabled multi-function device. 
     
     
       10. A system for processing a paycheck, said system comprising:
 a virtual paymaster application and a multi-function device, wherein an identification card having a bar code is placed on a platen of a multi-function device and thereafter scanned by said multi-function device in order to obtain authentication data with respect to an employee via said virtual paymaster application configured via said multi-function device wherein said virtual paymaster application is a software application configured on said multi-function device and wherein said multi-function device is a document processing rendering device configured as a printer, scanner, fax machine, copy machine or a combination thereof; 
 a remote application server and a network, wherein said authentication data is provided to said remote application server via said network in order to retrieve payment information with respect to said employee from a payroll database; and 
 a rendering device for locally rendering on said multi-function device a paycheck based on at least one rendering instruction from said remote application server in order to thereafter virtually deliver said paycheck to said employee to enhance payroll processing within a business environment. 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10  wherein said paymaster application is launchable on a user interface of said multi-function device via a graphically displayed paycheck button. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 10  wherein said identification card is placed on said platen of said multi-function device upon receiving a user prompt from said paymaster application. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 10  further comprising a communications medium for communicating said multi-function device with said remote application server via a standard secure sockets layer encrypted connection. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 10  further comprising:
 a failsafe mode, wherein said paymaster application is operable in said failsafe mode upon determining a fault in said multi-function device; and 
 a fault message that is transmittable to said application server in order to cancel said paycheck and credit the payment into an employee account. 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 10  wherein said check payment is confirmable via said multi-function device upon receiving said paycheck in response to a selection of a graphically displayed confirmation button. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 10  wherein said payment is creditable to an employee account by canceling said paycheck when said employee terminates the payment process in said multi-function device. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 10  wherein said identification card comprises at least one of the following types of cards: a credit card; and a badge. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 10  wherein said multi-function device comprises an extensible interface platform enabled multi-function device. 
     
     
       19. A system for processing a paycheck, said system comprising:
 a virtual paymaster application and a multi-function device, wherein an identification card having a bar code is placed on a platen of a multi-function device and thereafter scanned by said multi-function device in order to obtain authentication data with respect to an employee via said virtual paymaster application configured via said multi-function device wherein said virtual paymaster application is a software application configured on said multi-function device and wherein said multi-function device is a document processing rendering device configured as a printer, scanner, fax machine, copy machine or a combination thereof; 
 a remote application server and a network, wherein said authentication data is provided to said remote application server via said network in order to retrieve payment information with respect to said employee from a payroll database; 
 a rendering device for locally rendering on said multi-function device a paycheck based on at least one rendering instruction from said remote application server in order to thereafter virtually deliver said paycheck to said employee to enhance payroll processing within a business environment; and 
 a communications medium for communicating said multi-function device with said remote application server via a standard secure sockets layer encrypted connection. 
 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 19  wherein:
 said paymaster application is launchable on a user interface of said multi-function device via a graphically displayed paycheck button; and 
 said identification card is placed on said platen of said multi-function device upon receiving a user prompt from said paymaster application.